Ladakh - the land of high passes - belongs to the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmere and is also known as Western Tibet. Before it was opened for tourism in 1970 the only way to get there was the military road from Srinagar to Leh across the passes Zoji La, Namika La und Fatu La. Today Leh can be reached by plane as well as on the 474 km Manali - Leh Highway. The city with a population of about 27.500 lies in a mountain desert at an altitude of roughly 3.500 m. Under the regency of King Senge Namgyal in the 17th century Leh became capital of Ladakh taking over the part from Shey which played this role for about 700 years.

View from Shanti Stupa towards Leh and the Stok mountains with Stok Kangri (former Parcha Kangri - 6.130 m) the only 6.000 m peak of this group. The construction of Shanti Stupa was started in 1983 and finished in 1991. The idea of building so-called 'peace-pagoda' originates from a japanese buddhist confraternity who realised it together with Ladakhi people.

The telephoto of the Stok range shows two popular trekking peaks: Stok Kangri (6.150 m - to the right) which is climbed on the debris covered south-east ridge, and Gulep Kangri (left of the center) where the ascent route leads up the snow slopes.